By Amanatullah Yusuf
As the name suggests, non-stick pans are especially designed to avoid the food from sticking at the bottom of the cookware. Lined with teflon, non-stick cookware has a frictionless surface which also helps in easily cooking the food.
At some point, Non Stick pots became popular for its beauty and most importantly, the fact that it makes washing dishes easier because no food will get stuck on it. It’s a beautiful invention. Cooking became a lot easier and the sight of the pot makes one want to cook all the time. The black interior and pretty exterior, a masterpiece. Everyone wants to own it, despite its huge price difference with other steel pots.
What wasn’t discovered in time is the harmful effect of the invention and how it has slowly been chipping our good health away just as fast as the black interior gets peeled off if anything other than wooden or rubber spoon is used to stir the food in it.
In fear of it peeling off, some resort to cleaning the pot with foam and not washing it. A practice which is not very hygienic. For those who wash it as normal, start to experience the pot peeling off after a few wash and that is where the danger comes in. The black shiny interior is made with harmful chemicals which upon intake serves as a threat to human health. Imagine cooking with the pot until all the black is washed off. How much chemicals have been ingested?
All non-stick pans are lined with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), popularly known as teflon. PTFE is a synthetic chemical formed by combining carbon and fluorine atoms. While the popularity of teflon has grown over the years, many people question whether it is as safe as it is portrayed. Though teflon is usually termed safe for cooking, it shouldn’t be exposed to very high temperatures.
There are a ton of other pots which are healthy to cook.
Some of the safest cookware materials include stainless steel, ceramic, copper, and cast iron. Nonstick and aluminum cookware is generally regarded as safe as well.